Apparatus for handling loose material



. Oct. 27, 1925.

- R. J. WOQD APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LQOSE MATERIAL Original Filed Jun 2,1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 WM m wfi In a.

. Oct. 27 1925- R. J. WOOD APPARATUS, FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIALOrigina1 Filed June 2, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Irwnior m fzflam.

am O w Patented Oct. 27 1925. I

UNITED STATES 1,559,023 PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT J'. WOOD, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO GOODMAN MANUFACTURINGCOMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION ILLINOIS. i

APPARATUS FOR HANDLING LOOSE MATERIAL.

Application and June 2, 1921 Serial a... 474,431 Renewed May 4, 1925.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ROBERT J. Woon, a citizen of the United States,residin at Chicago, in the county of Cook and tate of Illinois, haveinvented an Apparatus for Handling Loose Material, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in apparatus for handling loosematerial, and more particularly to scraper devices adapted fortransporting coal and the like from the working face of the mine to anentry for loading the mine cars.

The principal object of the present inven tion is to provide simple andmore efiicient means for changing the course of direction of thescraper. Other objects will appear from time to time as the descriptionpro ceeds.

My invention may best be understood by referring to the drawings inwhich:

Figure 1'is a top plan view of the turning mechanism.

Figures 2 to 4 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustrating the typicalinstallation in a mine showing a scraper in various positions withrespect to the turning mechanism.

Figure 5 is a view and elevation of the turning mechanism in place in amine.

Figure 6 is a detail.

Scraper loading devices which have heretofore been used in mines usuallyinclude a scraper which is moved by means of flexible cables operated bya suitable hoisting engine. With devices of this character, however, itis often found necessary, on account of operating conditions, to changethe direction of movement of the scraper in moving it from the workingface'to the point of loading on the cars, and again in returning to thestartin point. For instance, when such a device is used in the room andpillar system of mining, the working face of the mine is usually at anangle to the direction of movement of the scraper .toward the roomentrance. As a large portion of the room is usually occupied with wastematerial or mine props, it is necessary to direct the scraper first.along the mine face and then in a path along one side of the room towardthe room entrance. Heretofore the forward movement of the scraper hasbeen changed by providing one or more fixed sheaves adjacent the end ofthe working face and adapted to be detachably engaged by the head ropeor drag line of the scraper. The return or rearward movement of thescraper'has been directed by a deflector or guide pulley positioned nearthe point at which the scraper is turned in its forward movement.

In the drawings, the present invention is shown as applied to a typicalmining operation of the room and pillar system, and comprises a scoop orscraper 1 having a head rope 2 and a tail rope 3, each of said ropesbeing operated by a suitable hoisting engine, (not shown) usuallysituated at or I outside of the entrance of the mine room. A preferredconstruction of the scraper 1 comprises a body portion including uprightside walls .1, 1 converging at the rear of the scraper in a rounded endportion 1 The working face 5 of the room is advanced longitudinally ofthe room as the mining operation proceeds. In the room illustrated, thisface is formed substantially at right angles to the side walls 6 and 7,although it may be found preferable under some circumstances to form theface at an obtuse angle to the side wall 7 nearest the room entrance, aswill subsequently appear. The tail rope 3 is led around a stationarysheave 8 anchored in the far corner of the room and from thence aroundsuitable guiding sheaves to the hoisting engine. At the opposite cornerof the room, but removed somewhat from the working face. and wall .7, Iprovide a turning device 9, which comprises a plurality of arms atangles to ,each other ivotally mounted toswing substantially in ahorizontal plane about a pivot 12. In a preferred form illustrated threeof such arms are provided, disposed at substantially equal angles of 120to each other, and of the same length. For purposes of illustration indiagrammatical views these arms may be arbitrarily indicated by separatenumerals such as 13, 14:,and 15. Each of the arms comprises an upperplate 16, and a lower plate 17 spaced laterally therefrom and connectedby suitable spacing members 18, 18. A plurality of vertically disposedflanged anti-friction rollers 19, 19, are mounted one upon each end ofarms 13, 14 and 15. It will be noted in Figure 3, that the arms 13, 14and 15 are so roportioned in length respective to the scraper that whenthe forward end of the latter comes into engagement with one of thearms, as for instance arm 13, the ad acent arm 15 is of suflicientlength to engage one side of the scraper adjacent the rear end thereof,as will hereinafter more fully appear in the description of theoperation of the device.

A preferred means of securing the turning device in place comprises ascrew-jack 20 having a spiked upper end adapted to engage the mine roof1n the usual manner, and a retaining member 21 at its lower end adaptedto engage a. base plate 22. said re-- v taimng member is illustrated invFlgure 6 L ment has been found to be more economical and preferablycomprises a pin 23, having an upper end 24 adgipted to fit into thelower end of jack 20 a ange 25, and a tapered lower end -26 adapted toextend through the retaining plate 22 into the mine floor. A bearingring 27 fits pver the lower end of jack 20, and rests on the flange 25of p1n 23 to provide a spacin element upon WhlCll the lower end 17 of te turning 'devlce rests. When in operation the retaining member 21 isfixed in place on the floor, and jack 20 1s secured therewith in avertical position to form a pivotal bearing for the turning device 9 asshown.

The operation of my device. is as follows: When the scraper is instarting position shown in full lines in Figure2, the leadrope 2 isengaged about two of the arms of the turning device such as 13 and 14.When the ulling force is exerted on the lead rope find that the turningdevice maintains the position substantially as shown in Figure 2. Thatis to say, the head rope 2 may be moved about the anti-friction rollersat the end of two arms without turning the device about its pivot. Fromthe initial position the scraper moves along the mine face, gathers aload of coal and approaches the turning device until the scraper isbrought into contact withthe arm 13, as shown in dotted lines in Figure2. A continued pull on the head rope 2 will'swing the turning deviceabout its pivot causing the scraper to turn therewith as shown in Figure3. As this turning movement takes place the arm 15, and the flangedportion of its roller 19, are brought about into contact with one sideof the scraper adjacent the rear end thereof, as shown in dotted linesin Figure 3, to assist and steady the scraper in its turning movement.The said roller is thus brought into position to engage the tail rope 3after the scraper is advanced in a changed direction. The turning devicecontinues to pivot until the arm 14 is moved out of contact with thescraper and draft rope, and the roller on arm 13 is brought intoengagement .with the tail rope 2 as shown in Figure 4, in which positionthe scraper is full turned into line with the point of unloa ing and thescraper continues its movement in that direction.

3 is pulled so as to bring the scraper into engagement with the arm 15(see Figure 4), and to turn the scraper in the reverse direction to aposition substantially parallel to the working face 5 as shown in Figure2.

It has been before suggested that the Working face5 may be formed at anobtuse angle to the side wall 7. Such an arrange- From the abovedescription, it will, be seen that as the working face 5 is advanced,the fixed sheave 8 and the turning device 9 will be advancedaccordingly, to transport the coal away from the face. The'apparatus iseasily put in iplace, and affords a continuous movement 0 the scraperboth forwardly and backwar'dly about-the turning device, and mnimizesthe manual labor required for -handling'the draft ropes and scraper.

It w'ill be understood that I have shown my improved apparatus asapplied to one system of mining merely for the purpose of illustrationof its use, but that it is readily adapted to diversified-uses fortransporting material, as for instance in excavating andgrading-operation. Furthermore, I do not wish to be understood aslimiting myself to the construction of apparatus ilustrated excepting.as specifically defined in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having twodraft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a rotatable turningdevice having three or more bearing members spaced apart, any twoadjacent members being arranged to successively engage said draft ropesat both ends of said scraper.

2. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper havmg two draftropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device mounted freeto rotate on a vertical axis, and having a plurality of bearing membersspaced apart, any two adjacent members arranged to successively engagesaid draft devices at both ends of said scraper.

3. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having twodraft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device freeto rotate on a vertical axis and comprising a plurality of arms eachpro,-' vided with an anti-friction bearing member at the end thereof anytwo adjacent bearing members bein arranged to successively engage'thedra t ropes at both ends of said scraper.

4. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having twodraft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device freeto rotate on a vertical axis and comprising three equally spaced radialarms each provided with a vertically disposed anti-friction bearingmember at the end thereof.

5. In a scraper apparatus, in combination, a turning device, and apivotal bearing therefor comprising a screw jack, a perforated plate, aflanged pin having one end adapted to fit in the lower end of said jackand the other end adapted'to extend througn said plate, and an annularspacing member adapted to fit over the lower end of said screw jack toform a bearing for said turning device;

6. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having twodraft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a rotatable turningdevice having three or more bearing members spaced apart, any one ofsaid members coacting with said scraper to move the following memberinto engagement with the side of said scraper adjacent the rear endthereof.

7. In a scraper apparatus, in combination with a scraper having twodraft ropes for reciprocably operating the same, a turning device freeto rotate on a vertical axis and com rising three equally spaced radialarms eac provided with a vertically disposed anti-friction bearingmember at the end thereof, any one of said arms adapted to 'coact withsaid scraper to move the bearing member on the following arm intoengagement vertically along the side of said scraper adjacent the rearend thereof.

Signed at Evarts, Ky., this 24 day of May ROBERT J. WOOD.

